A contemporary touch-based device provides a user with a virtual (soft) keyboard for onscreen text entry when a hardware keyboard is not connected to the device. A soft keyboard is typically invoked when the user taps and places text insertion point (IP) in an editable text area. The soft keyboard is also invoked when a user double taps and selects a word in an editable text area. The soft keyboard is further invoked when a user performs an action (such as inserting a new comment) where a document processing application automatically places the user's IP in an editable text area. These behaviors may be governed by the operating system and change as operating systems are updated/modified.
In a document processing application, keyboard invocation occurs frequently regardless of whether text entry is not the user's primary goal. Significant portion of an available onscreen area in a touch-based device is an editable document canvas. Users place an IP or select a word to create or expand a selection, insert an object (like an image, shape, or table), format text (different font face, style, or color; bold/italic/underline, etc.), move a selection with cut/copy/paste, and move the selection with touch. In addition, the user is more likely to make high-level tweaks (document formatting, structure) on touch devices, versus long-form authoring. Text entry is likely be a few sentences or less at a time.
Repeated keyboard invocation may be frustrating, interruptive, and unwanted when the user does not actually intend to type on a touch-based device. Accidental invocation is also common. Examples include panning the canvas up or down which results in unintentional IP placement. Unwanted invocation forces the user to repeatedly dismiss the keyboard, which degrades user experience and satisfaction with products because the keyboard occludes significant portion of the screen in landscape mode.